The use of remote conferencing facilities, sometimes referred to as teleconferencing, and the increase in use of computer-generated or web-based presentations of information have given rise to the increasing use of presentation, teleconferencing and telepresence environments. As used in this specification the term “presentation and display” will be understood to mean any form of electronic display, teleconferencing or telepresentation environment and to include any combination of these.
However, different standards of connectivity and communications protocols throughout the world have made it extremely difficult and complex to produce individual units which meet all the necessary requirements. Inconsistent regional market maturity results in differing expectations and abilities, and the lack of skills, knowledge and experience in both installation and use of such presentation and display environments hampers their introduction in many places. This results in a high cost and extended deployment time, as well as limited access to resources, especially due to the resultant need for specialist knowledge in achieving all the appropriate interconnections. When properly installed and working, complex telepresentation facilities provide users with considerably enhanced communications and presentation opportunities, but, not least because of the inconsistent regional market maturity, partly resulting from the inconsistency in availability and quality of hardware and the lack of developed skills throughout the world, it is almost impossible to achieve global consistency. Furthermore, system components are not always readily available in every region and frequently an attempt to install a highly sophisticated integrated automated telepresentation environment, results in excess complexity and extended management time and costs, both for implementation and use. This is exacerbated by the lack of local skills and experience in many places, and frequently in order to meet local requirements non-standard solutions have been adopted. Standard systems would be more cost-effective in the long run, but cost is unpredictable from one region to another and currently results in a high cost of standardisation.
Maintenance of such complex equipment is also the cause of considerable difficulty and frustration.